A 31-year-old Autryville man reportedly caught trying to steal merchandise from a convenience store was given a reprieve on the one charge only to find himself facing three more.

Ricky Dean Locklear Jr., 563 Yellowskin Road, was charged with three counts of possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance after officers were called to the Lucky Stop convenience store around 2:15 Sunday afternoon.

According to sheriff’s reports, a clerk at the store told officers that a male suspect, later identified as Locklear, had attempted to conceal merchandise while in the store and when he was confronted became argumentative.

The clerk, reports show, told officers as the suspect argued, he pulled air fresheners, hand sanitizer and incense out of his pockets and then left the store.

When deputies arrived and found Locker, they discovered he had a container with several prescription pills in his possession, none of which, reports show, he had a prescription for.

Seized were 5 10mg Zolpidem, 8 Clonazepam and 8 5mg Zolpidem tablets.

The clerk declined to prosecute Locklear on the shoplifting charges but officers transported him to the magistrate’s office where he was charged with the three misdemeanor possession offenses.

Locklear was not placed under a bond, and no court date was listed on reports.